one of my roo's has a crooked toe. Is it a birth defect or is it because another roo fought it ? min

[kacklinghen]

He gets around pretty good and active

 

[SunnySky]

*sigh* 1 is a rooster, the rest are cockerels. Yes I know the difference. You shared your insight about cockerels to the OP as did I. I'm not going to fall into your trap of arguing over something this petty. This thread isn't about you or me (yes, that's proper grammar, look it up); it's about the OP. You clearly are not a breeder of different (or rare) breeds otherwise you'd understand the importance of having multiple cockerels (or roosters) for genetic diversity, project lines, etc. Shame on you for redirecting the post to focus on you. Shame on me for continuing to respond to you. I'm sure you're the type of person to think "I won, she's walking away, what does she know" but that's certainly not the case. Someone has to be the bigger person, and that'll be me. If you'd like to continue this debate let's be considerate of the OP and move it to a private message. Have a good night.

Kacklinghen, you've been provided with 2 opposing yet good viewpoints on keeping roosters (or cockerels, depending on their age). Mine comes from years of experience (NOT cock fighting as Mr. Apple implied). I can't speak for Michael Apple. I wish you the best of luck with yours!

 

[Michael Apple]

Thank you this was a big help since I am new to all this. I ordered from Stromberg's and they sent 5 cocks when I only wanted 1. My 3 older hens came from a farm and so far they rule coop and I needed to know age before the big challenge. The cooks are production.

You're welcome. That is common to get more than one cockerel in sexed chicks. Most people who breed will have breed pens set up to pair a rooster with some hens, so multiple penned areas are needed. In the 38 years I've become accustomed to raising birds, it has been a standard to separate cockerels before reaching sexual maturity for the reasons I mentioned previously. There are a variety of breed clubs that may interest you, depending on which breeds you prefer, with accomplished breeders who are quite knowledgeable about the particulars.

 

[SunnySky]

Thank you this was a big help since I am new to all this. I ordered from Stromberg's and they sent 5 cocks when I only wanted 1. My 3 older hens came from a farm and so far they rule coop and I needed to know age before the big challenge. The cooks are production.

I understand the frustration of getting more cockerels than you want lol! That seems to be my luck with hatching lately! I currently have 9 breeding pens and, as I mentioned above, some have more than one cockerel in them. For example, I have a pen of BBS Orpingtons. In that pen are 2 cockerels: 1 blue - laced and 1 blue-barred. They are together because I will always get BBS offspring but some might be barred (easy to tell at hatch). In another pen I have silkies. I have silver partridge and partridge. I have 2 cockerels in that pen: a silver partridge and a partridge with partridge hens. I won't waste your time going through all 9 pens but I'm sure you get the idea of where having multiple cockerels can be a valuable, and safe, method of developing breeds you're interested in. This is a common practice with established, knowledgeable breeders.

 

[SunnySky]

They were raised together from baby chicks to now (14 weeks ) with pullets.

It can go either way even if they're raised together. They may get along or they may decide to duke it out one day. The instant I see any fighting they're separated and culled. Docile temperaments are a good thing to keep!

 

[dawg53]

If he had a crooked toe as a chick, probably genetic. I once had a 3 day old Salmon Faverolle cockeral that had crooked toes on one foot, it was genetic.

 

[kacklinghen]

If he had a crooked toe as a chick, probably genetic. I once had a 3 day old Salmon Faverolle cockeral that had crooked toes on one foot, it was genetic.

Thank you, he was the only one and I was afraid he was in a fight or something with one of the cocks at night, I feel better it was not that

 

[Michael Apple]

Expect a fight and injuryin the future if you keep roosters together.

 

[kacklinghen]

Expect a fight and injuryin the future if you keep roosters together.

right now they are 14 weeks, when should I separate them?

 

[Michael Apple]

right now they are 14 weeks, when should I separate them?

Some folks separate cockerels from pullets at 5-8 weeks to ensure pullets develop well. If I raise more than one cockerel in a batch of chicks, I pick my preferred cockerel at 4-5 months of age, and send the rest off for meat price, or if someone desires a good cockerel, I'll give them one or sell them one. You may be able to let it go a month or two longer with dual purpose breeds since they mature slower. If cockerels start posturing with others, and getting possessive of pullets, you know it is time to separate before injuries are likely to happen.